


you say you're always by my side ('till my blood runs dry)

by toucanoe



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Rating May Change, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 22:15:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19327153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toucanoe/pseuds/toucanoe
Summary: You swallow past the lump in your throat, sweat running down the back of your neck as you dig your fingers into the armrests of the leather couch you're sitting on."I never wanted to leave you," you croak, voice rough.Catra's gaze feels like it's tearing your aching heart out of your chest, leaving it raw and bloody at her feet.Take it, you want to say, it’s always been yours.





	1. and i know that i won't be the same without you

**Author's Note:**

> A/N:
> 
> Title from the song Drive by GLADES. Let me know what you think! :)

The cold September air bites at your cheeks as you try to rub warmth back into your hands, cursing yourself for not bringing a pair of gloves. The tips of your fingers have already started to go numb. You're sitting in Bright Moon's bleachers, Glimmer and Bow pressed tightly against either side of you. Bright Moon is playing the Horde tonight and the stands are packed. The age old rivalry between the two schools makes this the most popular football game of the season. Honestly, you’re barely paying attention to the game. The cold is making your eyes water and the field blurs with Bright Moon white and gold and Horde maroon and black.

Glimmer's shouting rings in your ears and you feel the edge of your mouth curl into a smile. She's been overly enthusiastic about football games ever since you first met her and she's showing her support by wearing a large white sweater with the words "BRIGHT MOON" in golden glitter. You and Bow are wearing ones similar to hers except yours has Bright Moon's mascot, a golden stallion, on the front; Bow's a golden heart.

"Kick some Horde butt, Bright Moon!" Glimmer turns to you, giving you a sly grin. "No offense, Adora."

You roll your eyes. “For the last time, I don't go there anymore.”

Bow's laughter rings in your ear. "As long as you're stuck with us, we'll always remind you that you went to the worst school ever," he says playfully.

You pull your dumbest, ugliest face at them and they immediately burst into laughter.

Bow sighs, wiping tears from his face. "That never gets old."

"So, Adora," you turn to face Glimmer as she says, "What's it like living in the Fright Zone?"

"It's an okay place to live. I mean, I grew up there so it's all I've really known. It's not as nice as Bright Moon though."

Glimmer hums thoughtfully. "My mom said there's a lot of crime in the Fright Zone. I always wanted to go to Whispering Woods Park there as a kid, but my mom never let me go. She said it wasn't a place for kids."

"Maybe she was just being protective," Bow suggests. Glimmer shrugs, the blow of a whistle turning her attention back to the game.

 _Growing up in the Fright Zone wasn't all that bad_ , you think. You remember back when you stood side by side with Catra in Principal Weaver's office when the two of you got in trouble for calling Octavia a dumb face. You remember the way your heart would stutter when Catra laughed at your best impression of Principal Weaver. You remember soccer tryouts; how she didn't make the team but you did, even though she was just a good a player as you were. You remember her smiling, saying, _there's always next year_ and how it just didn't sit right with you. You remember when you used to sit in the bleachers opposite to the ones you're sitting in now; wearing Horde red and your worn out sneakers, laughing, your thigh pressed against hers, her face so close you could count the freckles scattered across it, her eyes so captivating-

"GO BRIGHT MOON!" Glimmer's screaming nearly makes you jump out of your skin. You shoot her a look and she smiles sheepishly. "Sorry!"

Your phone buzzes and you pull it out of your back pocket, thumbing through your text messages. It's a text from a new friend you made in chemistry class. You ignore it and scroll down to Catra's name and open the most recent conversation.

_can't wait to hang out with you this summer :)_

_are you ok?_

_i stopped by your house today but your mom said you weren't home_

_catra_

_i'm sorry for leaving_ **_read 2:42 AM_ **

Your eyes trace over the same words over and over again. She hasn't responded to any of your texts or calls and she purposefully turned her read receipts on just to spite you. You frown at your phone screen and start to type out another text before deleting it.

"Who're you texting?" Bow leans in, peering over your shoulder at your phone screen. You panic and shove your phone into the back of your jeans.

"Um—no one. Yeah, um, it's just a friend," you mumble, tugging on your sweater. Bow quirks an eyebrow at you, smiling. You're saved in that moment by everyone around you in the bleachers jumping to their feet, screaming as one of Bright Moon's players runs down the field to score a touchdown.

Bright Moon wins the game 56 to 48 for the third year in a row, which isn’t really surprising to you. The last time the Horde won against Bright Moon was during your freshman year. Everyone starts filing out of the bleachers, desperate to get out of the freezing cold.

You follow Bow and Glimmer out of the stands towards the exit. People push and shoulder their way around you and you quickly lose sight of your friends. Groaning, you start to squeeze through the dense crowd when you see her.

Her hair has grown a few inches past her shoulders, the summer sun darkened her skin. There's a bored look etched across her face and she’s holding a bottle of soda to her lips, sipping on it when her eyes catch your own. The corner of her mouth curls up slowly as she holds your gaze.

Catra's smile is all danger and sharp teeth as she weaves her way through the crowd, moving towards you. You freeze, panic flashing in your chest. Maybe if you’re fast enough you can make it to the exit before she—

"Hey, Adora." You turn around and say nothing, lifting your chin up and glaring down at Catra. There's eye black on her face and she's wearing a Horde varsity jacket that's two sizes too big on her and definitely not hers. She's not at all dressed for the weather; black high waisted jeans, red crop top underneath the jacket she's wearing. She licks her bottom lip and your eyes follow the movement.

"What? I can’t say hi?" Your eyes snap up from her mouth and she smirks, giving you a once over. “Nice sweater by the way.”

You feel the tips of your ears burn as you say, “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me anymore.” She stares at you hard, something unrecognizable flashing across her face; her mouth falling into a straight line.

Whatever she’s about to say is cut off when a tall girl with short hair and soft dark eyes and broad shoulders you've never seen before throws her arm around her shoulder. “Catra! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” She looks over at you and smiles lazily. “Hi, I'm Scorpia.”

“Adora,” you reply, your voice hard. You narrow your eyes at Scorpia and she keeps smiling at you, either unfazed or oblivious. Catra's giving you a weird look out of the corner of your eye, but you ignore it; your fingernails dig into the palms of your hands and the familiar urge to fight rises to the fore of your mind. 

"Adora! Where’d you-“ Glimmer and Bow stop abruptly when they see Catra and Scorpia. You abruptly break your staring contest with Scorpia and awkward silence stretches in the air between you. 

Catra's mouth stretches into a slow smile and she laughs. "Wow, you three couldn't be more obvious if you tried. Seriously, matching sweaters?"

Bow stiffens beside you and Glimmer's face hardens.

"Seriously? You're really obnoxious," she bites back. Catra's face twists and you stop her before she can say something snide back.

"Glimmer, leave it. Come on, bow, let's just go." You grab Glimmer by the elbow and Bow follows you as you leave.

"It was nice meeting you, Glitter and Joe!" Catra calls out to you as you leave. Glimmer mumbles something under her breath and you sigh as the three of you exit the stadium to the school's parking lot.

"Who was that girl anyways? She really got on my nerves," Glimmer says, pulling out her car keys as you make your way to her car. You slide into the back as Bow gets into the passenger seat beside Glimmer. The little tree air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror sways back and forth as Glimmer slams her door shut. The steady thrum of the engine rumbles in the silence. You sigh.

"Catra's a friend I went to Horde High with. We didn't exactly end on the best terms," you eventually respond, leaning your head against the cold window.

Bow turns in his seat to look at you. "You mean the one you've been texting nonstop since you got here?"

You nearly choke on your own spit. "What—how did you—“ you sputter, sitting up so abruptly you almost smack your head against the roof of the car.

Glimmer meets your eyes through the rear view mirror. "Adora, you literally text no one else but her." You can't imagine what ugly shade of red your face is from how hard you're blushing.

“C'mon you can tell us anything, Adora. We’re your friends,” Bow says, smiling softly.

You sigh, leaning back against the seat. “Catra’s mad at me for leaving the Horde. I’ve tried apologizing but she keeps ignoring me.” You pick at a thread on the car seat. Bow looks at you expectantly, his face neutral. You breathe in and continue, “She came up to me tonight and started talking to me like she never ignored me in the first place. I just don't get it." Your fingers itch for you to grab your phone to see if she's texted you even though you know deep down she hasn't. 

It’s quiet for a moment before Bow says, “Look, Adora, you just need to give her some space. It’s obvious she wants to talk to you but you have to let her come to you first. Don't worry, I'm sure she'll come around.”

Glimmer snorts. "Yeah, maybe once she pulls that stick out of her a—" Bow's glare immediately shuts her up and she mumbles a "sorry" under her breath.

You let out a shaky breath you hadn’t even realized you’d been holding in. “Thanks, guys.”

“No problem, Adora. We're here for you. Now who wants some victory milkshakes?” Bow wags his eyebrows at Glimmer in the most ridiculous way and you burst into laughter.

It's not until you're sitting in a burger joint sipping on a strawberry milkshake that your mind drifts back to her.


	2. dancing in the color of the golden light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and leaving kudos/comments! Let me know what you think!

You don’t see Catra again until homecoming night.

The cafeteria is flooded with gold and white balloons and chaperones hover around the students. Streamers hang from walls and there’s even a snack table filled with tiny food off to the side. You’re in a silky red dress that Glimmer helped you pick out because you didn’t have anything nice to wear. She’s wearing a puffy beautiful dress and her hair sparkles with something that draws everyone’s eyes to her. Bow’s looking handsome in his white tuxedo and he’s been making you and Glimmer laugh all night. The bass of the music thrums in your blood and your bones. You haven’t had this much fun in a long time.

“Isn’t this great?” Glimmer shouts to you over the music as she grabs your hands.

You laugh, twirling her around on the dance floor. “It’s great,” you agree.

Glimmer’s eyes widen at something past your shoulder. “Oh my God, look at Bow.”

You turn around and double over in laughter at what you see. Bow is dancing in the most ridiculous way; shimmying his shoulders and bobbing his head. He catches you watching him and saunters his way over.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before. Care for a dance, malady?” He bows, extending his hand towards Glimmer. She laughs with glee, grabbing onto his hand and he pulls her onto the dance floor and spins her around. You watch them dance fondly.  There’s no denying they look good together.

When the song ends, they make their way back over to you; out of breath and sweaty. Bow’s face is twisted into a grimace and he hops from one foot to the other.

“I’m going to go use the bathroom real quick!” Bow says, disappearing before you can even say anything.

Glimmer laughs. “I told him not to drink too much water before the dance.”

Her smile breaks into a frown when she notices something behind you. You turn to see what she’s staring at and see the last person you’d expect to.

Scorpia is casually standing off to the side of the dance floor, eating some of the food off the snack table. She’s wearing a sleek black dress that slips down one shoulder. A belt hugs her waist that glitters with red garnet.

“Isn’t that the girl that we saw at the football game?” Glimmer asks, her brow furrowed.

You gnaw at your lip and nod. “She’s from the Horde.” Scorpia catches the two of you openly staring at her and she waves, giving you a smile before turning towards the exit.

Glimmer looks at you and shakes her head. “I’m going go talk to her. I’ll be right back.”

You watch her go as she weaves her way through the mass of sweaty bodies towards Scorpia.

Someone suddenly slams into you, making you stumble. You whip around and your mouth goes completely dry.

Catra’s dressed in a maroon suit that fits her like a glove. She’s all confident and self-assured, eyeliner making her eyes pop. Her hand is extended towards you in a clear invitation to dance and you eye it warily.

“Dance with me?” She smiles crookedly at you. You give in, rolling your eyes and taking her hand in your own. Her hands fall to your waist, her touch always soft and never rough. You try to ignore the fact that you’re enjoying this; that she’s good at leading, good at distracting you. It feels like you’re the only two people dancing and you don’t even notice that the song’s already ended until she pulls away from you.

She smirks, heading towards the exit. Your legs catch up with your racing thoughts and you nearly trip over your own feet trying to follow her. The crowd of people makes it easy for her to blend in and you lose sight of her quickly.

You eventually find her in one of the hallways of the school, far away from prying eyes and ears. She’s leaning against the wall, watching you with an amused look on her face.

“What do you want, Catra?” you ask. If there’s one thing you know, it’s never just one thing with her.

“It’s not always about you, Adora. I just came here to have some fun.” She folds her arms across her chest.

You don’t buy it for one minute. “I know you’re up to something. Why is Scorpia here?”

“She’s my date.”

Your jaw’s clenched so tight you swear you’re about to crack a tooth. You breathe out harshly through your nose. “You’re not supposed to be here. Last I checked this is Bright Moon’s homecoming, not the Horde’s.”

“Maybe I just wanted to see what the big deal about Bright Moon is. What you really left for.” Her words make you flinch and she notices.

She decides to dig into the wound, rip it wide open. “It won’t be long before you leave your new friends behind too.”

“That’s not true.” Your voice sounds weak even to your own ears.

“I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when they realize what kind of person you really are,” she says and it digs into your chest like barbed wire, hot and sharp.

Anger simmers low in your stomach and rolls off your body in hot waves. You can’t think, can’t speak; your throat tight when you swallow. You don’t know how it happens but somehow you end up tackling Catra. She lets out a hiss as she bangs her elbow against the floor and you feel the sharp sting of your knees scraping the ground. Your straddle her hips, locking her into place with your knees. She tries to push you off with her hips but you’ve got her pinned down. You grab her by the collar of her shirt and lift her upper body off the ground.

You’re so close to her you can feel her breath ghosting your lips. Her eyes look wild, frantic and she actually looks _scared_. It sucks the air out of your lungs and guilt crawls its way up your throat. What are you doing, she’s your friend and you almost hurt her-

It takes everything in you not to visibly shake as you let go of her shirt and roll off of her.

You need to get out of here.

Her eyes burn deep gashes into your back as you leave and your mind is spinning so hard it feels like you aren’t even in your own body. You’re trying to ignore the prick of tears behind your eyes and the stinging in your chest. Your legs take you to the nearest restroom and you lean against the sink, turning it on and splashing cold water on your face.

When you lift your head up to look into the mirror, you almost don’t recognize yourself.

It’s you but at the same time it isn’t; a girl who looks like you with the same blonde hair and the same chin, staring back at you with eyes the brightest shade of blood. When you blink they flicker back to blue.

The creak of the bathroom door opening startles you, and you wipe your eyes hastily with the back of your hand. You look into the mirror and see Catra staring back at you, eyes wide.

Her eyes flicker across your face. “Were you crying?”

You laugh at that; a harsh, ugly sound that echoes through the bathroom.

“Why do you care?” you snap, grabbing a handful of paper towels to dry your face.

She takes a hesitant step forward. “Because you’re my friend and I-“, she swallows, throat bobbing, “care about you.”

You scoff. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

You throw the now damp paper towels in the trash can and start to move past her when she grabs you by the wrist, “Adora, wait.”

Her thumb presses into your racing pulse and she lowers her eyes to where her fingers are wrapped around your arm. Something soft and vulnerable flashes across her face and you can’t take it, can’t look at her-

You grab her face in your hands and kiss her.

Her mouth is soft and warm on yours. You can feel your body burning up from the inside out. It’s fuel to a rising fire, a wildfire at night. It leaves you aching, gasping for more. Her hands fly up to tangle themselves in your hair and her mouth burns against yours. It burns in your heart, your lungs, your soul like a wildfire, spreading out of control-

You break away from her and leave the bathroom.

This time, she doesn’t follow you.


	3. no way that the eye can hide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> This chapter was sitting around for a while until I finally decided to post it. Thank you again for all of the support! :) Drop a comment below and let me know what you think!

The diner is quiet except for the steady patter of rain against the roof and the low music playing on the radio. Normally you’d be sitting at home watching whatever’s on TV but Glimmer asked you to cover her shift tonight and you owed her one. So instead of catching up on the latest episode of your favorite show you’re spending your Saturday night wiping coffee stains and waiting on tables.

It’s not like you’re completely bored out of your mind. Bow’s on with you tonight and he always finds some way to entertain you during the shift. The door rings with the occasional customer and you busy yourself with brewing more coffee. That’s the only thing that anyone really comes here for anyways besides the milkshakes.

You can’t stop your mind from flashing back to homecoming night. The way she looked after you’d kissed her, her lips swollen and face flushed. The bare look of longing on her face. All of it plays in your mind like a record on repeat. Your ears burn and you rub at them as if that’ll hide their obvious redness.

There’s always been this unspoken thing between the two of you, something that made your heart flutter and your face flush. The lingering touches and the way you’d sometimes catch her staring at you in the locker room and how you’d pretend not to notice. The way she mumbled _let me try something_ against your lips when you both got way too drunk and you had let her kiss you and it was like stars exploding behind galaxies away, a rebirth and a becoming. How your heart sank when she told you that she didn’t remember anything. Whatever it is between you now is different, charged with something that burns low in your stomach.

You’re snapped out of your reverie by the jingle of the door opening, the sound of laughter carrying into the diner. You immediately recognize one of the voices as Scorpia’s and stiffen. The other person with her is a girl with purple hair chatting animatedly and pointing to something on her phone.

The knot in your stomach loosens by a fraction once you notice Catra isn’t with them. With the way things have been recently, you’re actually kind of surprised that she’s not here. Scorpia and the other girl sit down at one of your tables and pick up the menus. _As if things could get any better_ , you think.

You put on your best smile and approach them.

“Hi, my name’s Adora. Can I get you started with anything to drink?” Scorpia’s eyes snap up from the menu she’s reading and she falters for a moment, surprised. Your stomach twists painfully once you realize the letterman jacket she’s wearing is the same one Catra was wearing at the football game.

She grins at you, her smile wide as she says, “I didn’t know you worked here!” You feel an overwhelming urge to punch her stupid smile off of her face. The girl sitting across from her studies you curiously.

You shrug and your shoulders barely move up an inch from how tense you are. “I’ve been working here for a while now.” Your pen hovers over your notepad and you look expectantly at the two of them. Scorpia straightens in her seat, looking back down at her forgotten menu. 

“Oh, right! I’ll just have the vanilla milkshake. What about you, Entrapta?”

The girl, Entrapta, stares at you for a long moment. “I’ll have a sundae please.”

You nod at them while you scribble down their orders. “I’ll be out with those shortly.”

You smile at them one last time before going through the swinging doors leading into the kitchen. Of all the tables they could pick in the entire diner, they picked yours. It feels like the entire universe is turned against you right now.

“How’re you holding up?” You nearly drop the milkshake you’re making and some of it spills onto the front of your apron.  

You turn around to see Bow refilling the coffee machine and eyeing you warily.

“Just great,” you mumble, furiously scrubbing the milkshake stain off of yourself. Even some of the whipped cream from it is splattered on you.

Bow watches you carefully as if the slightest movement might spook you. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take over that table for you?”

You feign ignorance as you say, “What table?”

Bow doesn’t fall for it. “You know what I’m talking about.” He leans in and whispers, “The one with Scorpia.”

You frown and decide to stay quiet, scooping ice cream for the sundae. Bow sighs, wiping stray coffee grinds from the counter.

“I mean, doesn’t it make you uncomfortable?”

If only you hadn’t agreed to work for Glimmer you wouldn’t be stuck in this situation. Of course it makes you uncomfortable having to see Catra’s new girlfriend or whatever she is.  Of course it hurts that she showed up to your homecoming as her date. It’s not like you care anyway. She has a new best friend now and you’re perfectly okay with that.

“It’s fine.” You finish drizzling hot fudge on the sundae. “I’ve got it.”

You can feel Bow’s eyes tracing your every movement and you try not to squirm underneath his gaze. Out of the corner of your eye, you see him grab a pitcher of coffee and turn to leave.

He stops just as he’s about to push open the door and smiles softly. “The offer still stands, you know.”

You sigh once he leaves through the double doors into the diner. It feels like everything in your life’s been flipped upside down since you moved to Bright Moon. Why did things have to get so complicated?  

You grab the milkshake and the sundae and make your way across the diner. Scorpia throws her head back, laughing at something Entrapta shows her on her phone. You clear your throat awkwardly and hand them their food.

Just as you’re leaving, Scorpia calls out, “Adora!”

Great. You were almost done with them too. The annoyance must be written all over your face when you turn around because Scorpia gives you an apologetic smile

She drums her fingers against the table and fidgets. “So you and Catra were close friends right?”

Okay, so far that’s number one on your list of worst ways to start a conversation. You’re so tempted to just walk out but you know your boss would kill you if you left early. Your shift ends at 8:30; maybe you’ll get out soon. Your eyes flit to the clock on the wall. It’s barely 6:00.

“We grew up together,” you finally say after a tense moment of silence.

Scorpia nods. “I can tell you two have a real bond. I saw the way you danced together at homecoming.”

This time Entrapta chimes in. “I still can’t believe she asked if she could come with you.”

“I know right! I thought she was joking. When I said I didn’t feel like going without a friend I didn’t think she’d actually offer to go with me. It totally makes sense now though. She obviously wanted to see her friend again,” Scorpia says, sipping on her milkshake.

Your heart stops. “What?” Your voice comes out more breathy than you mean it to be.

Scorpia studies you carefully. “Catra offered to go to the dance with me. I got the invite in the mail by accident since I used to go to Bright Moon,” she explains, swirling the last bits of her milkshake around with a straw. “She rarely goes out with us anymore and I figured she wanted to go since she knew you’d probably be there.”

Entrapta snorts. “Remember that one time she was completely wasted and told us how much she missed Adora like over 100 times?”

No way. You know Catra would rather throw herself off a cliff before ever admitting to any of those things. She may be bolder when she’s drunk, but you’ve never known her to be completely forthright.

You see a customer leaving as an opportunity to escape.

“I have to go. It was nice talking to you!” you blurt out, already moving towards the now empty table.

“Thanks, Adora!” Scorpia smiles politely at you as you leave.

If what they said was true, that means Catra wanted to see you. She knew you’d be at the dance. She probably even knew you’d be at the football game too.

You’re wiping the table top down when Bow suddenly grabs you by the arm and pulls you into the kitchen, his grip so tight it’s almost painful.

“Hey! What’re you doing?” you hiss, glaring at him once he finally lets go of you. He looks out of the small window peering into the dining area and looks back at you, eyes wide.

“Catra just walked in.”

You see her standing at the table Scorpia and Entrapta are sitting at, engaged in conversation with them. She’s got her hands tucked into the pockets of her windbreaker and her back facing towards you. Entrapta jerks her thumb in your direction and she turns.

You duck out of view and nearly knock Bow over with the force of it. You cross your fingers and pray she doesn’t see you. One of the cooks walking by carrying a container of tomatoes gives you a weird look. You can’t blame him. You’re crouched so close to the trash can it looks like you’re about to dive into it and Bow has his entire body pressed against the ice cream cooler.

Bow’s watching from a safe distance. “Did she see me?” you whisper. He shakes his head.

“No,” he pauses, squinting, “but I think they’re leaving now.”

You slowly creep your way out from behind the trash can to the door. Sure enough, they’re heading out the door. The weight on your chest immediately lightens when you watch them go.

You groan, sliding your hand down your face. Bow chuckles and you shoot him a dirty look.

“Don’t laugh at me. This is a disaster!” you huff, throwing your hands up in the air for emphasis.

“I just think it’s funny that no matter how much you try to avoid her, you always end up running into her anyway,” he says, smiling. You frown, biting the inside of your cheek.

Bow sighs and puts a hand on your shoulder. “I’m sorry. I know this is hard for you.”

“I’ll be okay,” you say, offering him a small smile.

He nods and smiles back at you. “Text me if you ever need anything.”

“I will. Thanks, Bow.”

He gives you a funny look and snorts.

You raise an eyebrow at him. “What is it?”

Bow grabs a wet rag and hands it to you.

“You have whipped cream on your face.”


	4. let the tides rise in my heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your support! 
> 
> Let me know what you think! :)

 

_They say when two people are connected by the red thread of fate they are destined to be together. The thread may tangle and stretch, but never break._

 

 

 

The grass is covered in a blanket of the first leaves of fall, their earthy smell familiar and soothing. It’s serenely quiet save for the cry of a lone blue jay. The swings look worn and used as they sway lightly in the wind. There’s no one in the park today except for you. _This place used to have kids here all the time_ , you think. After the crime rate rose in the Fright Zone, parents were afraid to bring their kids to the park.

 

A little voice in your head told you to come to the park for a reason you can’t quite put your finger on. Everything is exactly how you remember it; the sign with the fading words “WHISPERING WOODS PARK”, the monkey bars where you fell and chipped your tooth, the slide you would race Catra down, the merry-go-round you always tried to avoid because it made you sick to your stomach.

 

Your hands are tucked deep in the pockets of your jacket, fingers curled tightly around your phone. The wind whips at your face with a force that leaves your cheeks and nose red.

 

The crunch of leaves alerts you to someone nearby and every muscle in your body draws tight, ready to fight anyone who tries to attack you. Relief washes over you when you see it’s Catra and not some thug who wants to rob you. She’s in a Sherpa trucker jacket big enough to fit over the dark grey hoodie underneath and the legs of her black joggers are pulled up to mid-calf. You don’t know how she’s not freezing her ass off.

 

“Hey, Adora.” She’s always has this look like she knows something you don’t and it makes you suspicious. “I’m surprised you weren’t at the party last night with your stuck-up friends.”

 

Oh, right. Glimmer and Bow had asked you to come with them because it was in the Fright Zone and Glimmer’s mom would’ve grounded her for a month if she ever found out. You purposely hadn’t gone because you’d known Catra would have been there. That night, you had been abruptly woken up to a slew of texts from her.

 

Catra: _y arent you with sparkles_

 

Catra: _guess going to bright moon means youre too good to have fun_

 

You’d known she was probably drunk texting you and you tried your best to ignore it. _If she can ignore my texts, i should be able to ignore hers_.

 

Unfortunately your resolve was crumbling with each text she sent you.

 

Catra: _btw i know you wre avoiding me a the diner_

 

Catra: _youre so bad at hiding adora_

 

Oh, God. She had actually seen you. You felt like you could die from embarrassment.

 

Catra: _i kno youre reading this ill just keep spaming you **read 1:43 AM**_

 

You had rolled your eyes and put your phone on the nightstand. You had tried to go back to sleep but the buzzing from your phone didn’t seem to be stopping. With a groan, you had given in and rolled over in your bed to see what the hell she wanted.

 

Catra: _a_

 

Catra: _d_

 

Catra: _o_

 

Catra: _r_

 

Catra: _a_

 

Catra: _askdkjj_

Catra: _i have something important to tell you_

 

_what do you want???_

 

Catra: _finally_

 

Catra: _i kno i nver say this but i really do miss you_

 

So Scorpia was telling the truth. You had wanted to be happy, but you knew Catra would never say any of those things to your face. A text popped up on your screen from Lonnie, one of your friends from the Horde who still texted you from time to time.

 

Lonnie: _lmao come get your girl adora she’s drunk af_

 

Lonnie: _you won’t believe what catra’s doing rn_

 

She sent an image after and you nearly dropped your phone onto your face from shock.

 

In it, you could see Catra making out with a blonde girl you recall seeing sometimes in the halls of Horde high.

 

Jealousy and guilt and sadness had hit you all at once. With tears blurring your vision, you had shut your phone off and pulled the covers over your head. You didn’t even bother to read the rest of her texts this morning.

 

“Why are you here anyways?” you ask.

 

She shrugs and levels you with a look that makes your breath catch in your throat. “Somehow I knew you’d be here.”

 

You sniff and rub your runny nose with the back of your sleeve. “Somehow I find that hard to believe.”

 

Catra grins, rocking back onto the soles of her feet. She puts some distance between you and you immediately want to close the gap again. Her breath comes out in small white clouds.

 

“Believe it,” she says, bright eyes challenging you.

 

Your eyes search her mismatched blue and gold for any signs of deception. She’s always been one to bend the truth with others except for you. Your best friend; bound together by a promise to always look out for each other. You broke that promise and now you’re practically strangers. Her words cast a cloud of doubt around you that soon clears once you notice the open sincerity on her face.

 

After a moment that feels like forever, she sits on the empty swing; her scent lingering in the air as she brushes past you.

 

The collar of her hoodie slips down her neck and the edge of a dark bruise peeks out. The sight of it forces the image of her kissing that girl last night to the front of your mind and jealousy swirls low in your stomach. You want to push her to the ground and kiss her and cover her with marks of your own so that she’s reminded of you every time she looks into the mirror. You want her to be yours and you to be hers. You want things you can’t have. She’ll always be someone else’s.

 

You have no right to be jealous. You aren’t her friend anymore and she’ll only admit what she will never say to you over drunken texts. The _i miss yous_ and shared kisses are unspoken between the two of you. A sudden swell of emotions bubbles in your chest and you feel your breath hitch in your throat.

 

Your unease must show on your face because Catra gets up from the swing and ducks her head until you finally meet her eyes.

 

“Are you okay?” she asks you softly, taking a cautious step closer.

 

Your mouth opens and closes as you try to find the right thing to say, the words dying in your throat before you can even get them out. A warm calloused hand curls around your wrist, thumb pressing against your racing pulse. The touch comforts you and makes you want to yank your arm away at the same time. You feel so tired, tired of avoiding Catra and avoiding your problems. So you ignore the urge to rip your arm out of her grip and let her touch you.

 

Catra falters and looks at you with something close to nervousness. You’ve never seen her so skittish and it bothers you more than you’d like to admit.

 

“I missed you,” she whispers.

 

The picture Lonnie sent you flashes in your mind once again. You’re suddenly aware of how close you are, Catra’s face inches from your own. Anger boils red hot in your chest, an ugly thing that rears its head. Without warning, you shove her away from her. She stumbles, almost falling into the nest of leaves beneath her. Hurt flashes across her face before she quickly replaces it with a stone cold mask.

 

“Just stop it, Catra. I’m not stupid,” you hiss, “I saw a picture of you making out with some girl last night and now all of sudden you say you miss me. That’s not how it works.”

 

Tears are running freely down your face and you can’t stop your lower lip from trembling.

 

Alarm flashes across Catra’s face and she reaches out for you. It’s only fuel to a rising flame and you bat her hands away.

 

“Adora,” she starts, “It’s not what you think-“

 

“Then what was it, Catra? You can’t tell me you weren’t kissing her on purpose,” you snap.

 

Your fingers are digging crescents into the palms of your hands and a sharp sting makes you realize you’ve drawn blood. You wipe the tears that have gathered underneath your chin and breathe in deeply.

 

“What do you want from me?” Your voice is hoarse from crying.

 

Catra freezes. She’s staring at the ground and you know she can’t look you in the eye.

 

“What do you want?” you repeat, your voice louder just in case she didn’t hear you the first time.

 

She says nothing and you continue, “I apologized and tried to make things right but you were the one pushing me away. Now that I started ignoring you, you say you miss me. I don’t understand.” Another wave of tears threatens to spill over and you furiously blink them away.

 

You can see guilt written across every line of her body and the silence is deafening. You turn to leave but her voice stops you in your tracks.

 

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she whispers and you’re so surprised by the admission you almost don’t notice she’s crying too.

 

She steps in close, her hand cupping your wet cheek as she presses her lips softly against yours. It’s different this time, a tenderness present that was never there before. You sigh against her lips and bask in the moment. She’s so soft and pliant and you almost pull her back when she steps away from you.

 

“I have to go,” she says, her voice shaky. You lick your lips, still red and swollen from the kiss. She traces the movement of your tongue with her eyes and you can’t stop the shiver that runs through you.

 

Your skin tingles and the urge to kiss her again is overwhelming. “When will I see you again?”

 

Her eyes lock onto yours with an intensity that leaves you reeling. “Come to my house tomorrow. At noon.”

 

You nod, biting your lip. She smiles playfully and then adds, “I promise I’ll let you in this time.”

 

You both laugh and a light feeling swirls in your chest. Your fingers itch to hold her close and you act on it, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her in for another kiss. It’s sweet and addicting, something you’ll never let go of now that you’ve had a taste of it. All too soon it ends and you smile fondly at her. She smiles back at you and you feel so light and carefree.

 

You wink and Catra looks like she’s about to have an aneurysm.

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, hotshot,” you call to her over your back, laughing.

 

She tackles you into a pile of leaves and shoves a fistful down the front of your jacket. You chase after her and take turns throwing leaves at each other.

 

When she finally pins you to the ground and kisses you, you feel the happiest you’ve ever been.


	5. making our own make believe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: 
> 
> Surprise! I ended up changing the rating since things get a little steamy in this chapter ;) 
> 
> Thanks again for reading and let me know what ya think!

 

You wait on Catra’s doorstep, checking the watch on your wrist. You’re on time but part of you thinks she might ignore you again. But she promised you she wouldn’t and Catra never breaks her promises. The front of her house still looks the same, with her mom’s weird gnome collection in the front. _Looks like she added a new one_ , you think as you eye one with a long white beard and a green shirt.  

The door creaks open just as you’re leaning over to get a closer look and you immediately straighten, nearly knocking the clay figure over. The gnome wobbles back and forth and you grab it by the top of its hat to still it. Catra says nothing and stares at you, the look on her face indecipherable. She looks like she just woke up; her hair’s a frizzy mess and she’s got a baggy t-shirt thrown on over black leggings.

“Hi. Am I late?” you ask, trying your best to act nonchalant.

She pulls you in for a kiss and interlaces your fingers, dragging you inside the doorway. You almost fall over in your haste to kick off the shoes you’re wearing.

You’re surprised when she passes the stairs that lead up to her bedroom and takes you into the living room instead.

“You want anything to drink?” Catra asks once she finally lets go of your hand.

“No thanks.”

You sit down on the threadbare couch and take a moment to observe the pictures on the coffee table. There are a lot of Catra when she was little and pudgy with baby fat, some from Catra’s middle school graduation, and there’s one of her senior portraits.

A single family photo lies in the center and in it you see her piggybacking one of her cousins, beaming. She’s the only person of color in the picture because, like you, she was adopted when she was just an infant.

“There’s still a picture of you here somewhere.”

You look up to see her twisting the cap off a bottle of water. She tips her head back as she takes a sip and your eyes trace the column of her throat as she swallows.

You force yourself to drag your eyes away from her and laugh nervously. “I can’t believe your parents still kept that picture.”

“Well of course they did. They absolutely love you.”

Your eyes meet hers and you turn shy, tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear.

She leans against the frame and gives you a warm smile. “Remember when we used to have sleepovers all the time?” She yawns and stretches her arms above her head. “I miss those.”

Catra plops down on the couch next to you and lays her head on your lap. You run your fingers through her hair and she hums, closing her eyes. You can feel the vibrations of her humming in your thighs.

You smile and gently scratch at her scalp. “I’d totally be down for a sleepover. I would have said yes if you asked me.”

“Don’t you think it’d be weird if I said, ‘Hey, Adora, want to sleep with me?” she murmurs sluggishly.

Your fingers still in her hair and a familiar warmth creeps low in your abdomen. Her eyes snap open and panic flashes across her face once she realizes what she just said. You grin slyly at her.

“Wait, I-I didn’t-,” she stutters, trying to backtrack.

“I’m flattered, Catra.”

She turns bright red and shoves you lightly. “That’s not what I meant, you idiot.”

You laugh as she scrambles to get off of the couch. A part of you is amused with how flustered she’s getting.  

“Oh, don’t worry. You made it perfectly clear,” you tease.  

Your grin wavers once you notice the forlorn look on her face. Worry wraps itself like a vice around your pounding heart. God, you’ve messed things up again.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Your voice is soft in a way you hope is soothing.

Catra gnaws at her bottom lip. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to Bright Moon before you left?”

You don’t even realize you’ve bitten into the side of your tongue until you taste copper. She was bound to ask you sooner or later. You’ve tried rehearsing your response in your mind plenty of times but the thought of it scares you more than it should and you never found the right words to say.

Catra watches you carefully, as if she expects you to just get up from where you’re sitting and leave.

“I was scared. I knew you’d shut me out and I didn’t want to lose you,” you say, “I thought we could still hang out like we used to. You mean everything to me.”

Her breath hitches at the admission and your heart plummets when you see her eyes sheen with unshed tears.

You swallow past the lump in your throat, sweat running down the back of your neck as you dig your fingers into the armrests of the leather couch you’re sitting on.

“I never wanted to leave you,” you croak, voice rough.

Catra’s gaze feels like it’s tearing your aching heart out of your chest, leaving it raw and bloody at her feet.

_Take it_ , you want to say, _it’s always been yours_.

The steady patter of rain against the roof is the only comforting sound in the tense silence.

“It hurt, you know. When you left,” she finally says, folding her arms across her chest.

She holds your gaze for a moment before dragging her eyes to the window. A lonely succulent sits on the window sill, the sun its only comfort.

“You were always in my head. No matter how much I tried to ignore you, I couldn’t forget you.”

The sting of tears pricks the back of your eyes and you tighten your grip on the couch to keep from reaching out and touching Catra like you so badly want to.

She faces you, unfolding her arms from across her chest. “It took me a long time to realize that you’re my everything.”

“ _Catra_ ,” you breathe.

Her eyes are dark, a hunger swirling in them that steals the breath from your lungs. She slowly stalks toward you, eyes never leaving yours. The rain outside is nothing but a dull trickle against the roof. She tugs at your hands and you take it as a cue to stand up. You only have a couple inches on her, but it feels like even more when you gaze down at her in wonder.

Catra’s hand traces up your arm to the back of your head, her fingers caressing the soft undercut there. The other slides into the back pocket of your jeans and digs into your ass, pulling you into her.

When your lips meet it’s slow and sinful, tongues sliding against one another. It’s a fire that sets you aflame and threatens to consume you. With every touch, she leaves a burning trail on your body. She moans when you take her bottom lip between your teeth and pull, releasing it with a pop. You rest your forehead against hers and try to still your rapidly beating heart. Her breath ghosts your lips as you catch your breath.

You inhale sharply when you feel a hand work its way down your body, unbuttoning your pants hurriedly. The sound of your zipper being pulled down is obscenely loud in the silent room. Catra rakes her nails along your abdomen, red lines blooming underneath her touch. You kiss a path along her throat and leave a purpling mark in the spot where her neck meets her shoulder.

Just as you feel warm fingers push past the waistband of your underwear, your phone rings insistently in the deafening silence. It causes both of you to jump away from each other and Catra swears, glaring at your phone.

You mouth a “sorry” to her as you finally answer. “Hello?”

“Adora! Where are you?” Glimmer’s voice chimes across the line.

Catra’s eyes narrow once she hears who you’re talking to and mutters an “of course” under her breath.

“What are you talking about?” you ask.

“You’re supposed to be working tonight, remember?”

Oh, crap. You completely forgot and now you have to be there in less than ten minutes. You’ve been late too many times to afford being late again.

You realize your pants are still undone and you quickly zip them up with one hand.  “Glimmer, cover for me until I get there. I’ll try to be there as soon as I can, ok?”

Glimmer sighs on the other end. “Fine, you better be here soon or I will lose my sh-“

You hang up before she can get another word in and notice Catra regarding you with an irritated look. Unfazed, you give her a light peck on the cheek. She softens somewhat at that and you beam at her as you slip on your shoes.

“I’ll make it up to you,” you assure her, running your thumb along her inner wrist as you kiss her.  

You’re halfway out the door when she says, “Promise?”

You pause and grin. “Promise.”


	6. your body warmth wants me close

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Thank you all for going on this journey with me. I appreciate every kudos/comment you guys left and I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did. 
> 
> Warning: This last chapter is mostly smut.

 

 

It’s been almost a week since you’ve last seen Catra. With your shifts at the diner and soccer practice, you’ve never had the time. But, a promise is a promise; which is how you came up with the illustrious plan to sneak into the Fright Zone and visit her house.

 

You pull out your phone and send her a quick text. 

 

_you up?_

 

catra: _yeah_

 

You begin the long climb up the trellis on the side of her house, almost slipping a couple times on the way up. No one’s really awake at this time of night and the only lights on are the ones along the sides of the street. When you finally reach Catra’s window, you rap on it twice with your knuckles. She peeks out between the blinds after a long moment and you wave at her. You almost want to laugh at the unamused glare you see when she opens the window. 

 

“What are you doing?” she hisses, scanning to see if anyone saw you. 

 

“Breaking you out. Now, come on.” 

 

She was clearly laying in bed before you showed up; her pajamas hang loose on her frame and there’s still a mark on her cheek from the pillow she was pressed up against. 

 

You can see the moment she caves in. “Shit. Just give me a sec.” She disappears and comes back with a coat wrapped around her shoulders. “You could’ve just texted me to come outside, you know.”

 

You grin, offering her your hand. “Where’s the fun in that?”

 

Catra snorts and grabs your outstretched hand, ducking her head as she sneaks out. You let out the breath you’ve been holding in when your feet finally hit the ground and Catra lands safely next to you. 

 

She’s slightly out of breath as she says, “Honestly, I’m surprised my neighbor’s dog didn’t hear you.”

 

You raise an eyebrow. “What dog?”

 

As if on cue, a dog barks nearby and you both take off into a sprint down the sidewalk. Once you’re both too out of breath to run anymore, you lean over with your hands on your knees and start laughing. Catra huffs and smacks your arm playfully. 

 

“You almost got us caught, dumbass.” 

 

 _You were worth it_ , you want to say.  Instead you say, “It was worth it.” 

 

She must understand what you’re trying to convey because she says nothing, brushing her fingers against your own as you walk side by side. A comfortable silence falls between you and you see your car parked in the distance. It’s nothing fancy; an old Suzuki Swift that your parents passed down to you once you were old enough to drive. 

 

You unlock the doors as you approach the red car. “Here we are.” 

 

Once you’re both inside, the air shifts into a charged tension, something that makes your palms sweat and fingers itch. You stare down at your lap as you fumble with your keys.

 

“So I was thinking we could-” 

 

You’re cut off by the feeling of Catra’s lips moving hungrily against your own. You immediately reciprocate, kissing her just as desperately. Her tongue licks into your mouth and slides slowly against your own. You let out a shaky breath when she slips her hand underneath your shirt and her fingers skim lightly against your stomach. She pulls your shirt over your head, throwing it somewhere in the backseat and you watch her as she watches you; the way her eyes rake over you making you feel exposed and vulnerable. Her hand moves from its resting place on your stomach higher and higher until her fingers reach the fabric of your bra. 

 

She pauses and looks to you for confirmation. Her eyes are dark and full of promises you know she’ll always keep and you think that’s what finally gives you the courage to reach behind your back to unhook your bra. You swallow hard at the way her eyes drop down as soon as it comes off and the way she can’t seem to tear them away as she looks back up at you. She surges forward, accidently snagging your lip with her teeth as she kisses you. You run your tongue over the broken skin in an effort to soothe it. Somehow she ends up straddling your lap with her hands pressed against either side of the headrest. She breaks away and starts to suck marks into your neck. You whimper when she touches your breasts, her fingers flicking against the peaks. 

 

She pulls her mouth away from your neck and brings it back against your own. Her tongue slips into your mouth and flicks against the roof of your mouth. You bring your hands up from where they’re gripping the sides of her thighs to rest on her hips. Catra hums into your mouth and starts a slow grind into your lap. The movement sends a pang of need straight to your core and you tighten your grip, raising your hips up to meet hers. 

 

You want her like you’ve never wanted anyone before and your need threatens to swallow you whole. You want her to rip you open and tear you apart. You want her to ruin you. You grab the hand that’s currently on your chest and drag it down your stomach. Her fingers snag into the material of your underwear as she pushes past the waistband of your pants and you moan so loudly you flush to the tips of your ears with embarrassment. 

 

Catra moans back, her fingers slipping and sliding against you. “ _Fuck_. You’re so wet.” 

 

Your hips thrust up sharply at the words and you loop your arms around the back of her neck as her finger slips easily inside you. You keen, churning your hips into her hand. It’s not enough. All of your pride rushes out of you in an instant.

 

“Please, Catra,” you beg, trying to get more friction as her finger thrusts in and out of you, “more.” 

 

A smirk crosses over her face and she adds another finger. The stretch burns in a decidedly good way. When she starts fucking you vehemently and takes your mouth in her own, sucking at your tongue, you cry out. You know you won’t last long and the thought makes you clench around her fingers. Catra’s inside you, above you, eyes flashing as she watches you. She nips at your throat with sharp teeth and drags her fingers right where you need them. The sting combined with the movement of her fingers is just the push you need to tumble right over the edge. 

 

“Oh, _fuck_ ,” you groan, raking your nails down Catra’s back, “ _Fuck_ -”

 

The heat and fire you feel everywhere, running through your entire body makes your vision go white and distantly you think you can hear someone scream. It’s not until you come to your senses, throat tender and raw, that you realize it was actually you. Catra leans over the seat to grab your discarded shirt and the movement causes you to see a flash of toned midriff. 

 

You put a hand on her thigh and lean in close. “What about you?” 

 

She visibly swallows, her throat bobbing. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

 

You’re so tired of her putting you first and you want to show her you can please her too. She watches you curiously when you grab her by the hand and pull her into your lap again. You stroke her bottom lip with your thumb and she nips at it playfully. Her coat slides down one shoulder and you kiss the exposed skin of her shoulder. She fists her hand in your hair and yanks you away from her, pressing her mouth against yours. You slide your hands down to cup her ass with splayed palms and relish in the gasp it garners. 

 

“I said I’d make it up to you, didn’t I?” you murmur.

 

The irises of her eyes are nearly swallowed whole by the black of her pupils. You recline the car seat all the way and lay back onto it, grabbing her by the back of her thighs. The confused look on her face is soon replaced by open want once you pull her up so that she hovers over your face. She helps you peel off the soft gray shorts she’s wearing and slips her underwear down one leg, kicking it off onto the floor. 

 

You look up at her when you place an open mouthed kiss on her wet heat and she shivers, the muscles in her legs trembling. It makes you dizzy with how much you want her. 

 

“Adora!” she cries out when you suck on her clit, and her head nearly hits the roof of the car when you swirl your tongue against it. 

 

Your mouth is flooded with her taste and covered with wetness, and you bring your fingers up to flick against her clit while you slide your tongue inside of her. She mewls and her hand shoots down to grip your hair. The sharp tugging sends a white hot thrill through you and you want so badly to touch yourself. It’s not long before she picks up a shaky rhythm, starting to ride your face. You dig your fingers into her ass to encourage her movements and she flutters around your tongue. 

 

Your jaw is aching and it’s getting hard to breathe but you ignore it, slipping your fingers inside of her and curling them. Catra lets out a choked moan, bucking her hips hard and you know you’ve hit the right spot. Her thighs clench tightly around your head and she starts to move more erratically. You move your fingers faster, sealing your lips around her clit. She comes with a high-pitched cry that goes straight to your core. 

 

You watch her hungrily the moment it hits her, every muscle in her body draws taught; her breath coming out in mewling whimpers, her eyes clenched shut and face completely eclipsed with pleasure. With a content sigh, she collapses and lies completely boneless against you. You wrap your arms tight around her, your nose brushing the soft spot underneath her neck. 

 

“I love you,” you whisper into her hair. Catra lifts her head from your chest so that she can look at you. 

 

“I love you too,” she says breathily, her eyes bright and entirely focused on you. 

 

You smile softly and she kisses you in a way that’s so tender and gentle warmth blossoms in your chest. You’ll never get used to this; the way she looks at you like you’re her everything and how much love she carries with her. 

 

The roll of car tires against gravel in the distance causes you scramble off of each other. Headlights flash into the windows and you frantically grab your keys to turn on the ignition as Catra tugs on her pants.

 

“Come on, you old bitch,” you curse when the engine sputters and fails to turn on. 

 

Your shirt’s still laying somewhere in the backseat and you’ll be damned if someone mugs you topless. 

 

“Go, go, go, go!” Catra chants feverishly as a figure gets out of the car and makes their way towards you. 

 

Your car finally rumbles to life and you slam on the gas just as you shift the gear into drive, tires squealing loudly. You drive far enough that you’re sure no one’s following you and pull into an empty parking lot. 

 

Catra lets out a sigh of relief. “Holy fuck, that was close.” 

 

You laugh, tugging your shirt on. “Totally worth it.” 

 

Catra rolls her eyes and grins, pulling you in for another kiss.

 

  
_I know you feel what I feel_ , you want to say, _and I hope you know that._


End file.
